Traffic signal



April 16, 1929. J. RANK ET AL 1,709,190

TRAFFIC SIGNAL f5 Filed Aprilz', 1926 2 sheets-Sheet 1 j2me/7 fors April 16, 1929. v J. RANK ET AL TRAFFIC S IGNAL Patented Apr. 16, 1929.

Uniresra'rss JOHN RANK AND HENRYv W.v RANK, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL. n

l Application inea Aprnza,

Our invention relates to traffic signals of the/self-arighting type, that is, to signal posts adapted to be set in the street and which, if struck by avehicle, will yield and move into an approximately horizontal position but will resume upright operative positions when released from the vehicle.

Generally stated, the invention consists of 'the novel devices and combinat-ions of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to ther drawings:

` Fig. 1 is a view chiefly in elevation but with some parts in vertical axial section and with some parts broken away, showing the improved signal. post operatively applied;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fie. 1 1

`ig. i), is a vertical axial section taken on the line 3 3 of. Fig. 1;

` F ig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken through the post on the oblique line 5-5 of Fig. 4, some parts being' broken away.

The post illustrated has a rigid body por- 'tion arranged to rock on base support Vof novel construction and arrangement, and it 'includes primarily four flat plates 6 in 'rectangular arrangement. These plates have ou'tturned vertical edge flanges Z over which, at the four corners, are slid coupling tubes 8 that are slit to embrace the flanged edges of the said plates, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 5. rlhese coupling` tubes are preferably covered with heavy layers of rubber 9, vulcanized or otherwise secured thereto and affording shock-absorbing cushions exposed in the four corners of the post. At their lower ends, the four side plates 6 are set into a seat afforded by the rectangular upper edge flange 10 of a lower end head 11. This lower head 11 is a cast structure and is formed with an undercut annular bearing ledge 12 and below said ledge with a depending inverted centering cone or boss 13. At their upper ends, the four side plates 6 are set into a seat formed by the depending rectangular flange 14 of anl upper head 15, which latter, as shown, is

formed integral with a skeleton dome 16 that reinforced.

1926. Serial No. 104,060."

affords a housing for a lightbulb, such as a bulb used as a pilot signal.

The upper and lower heads are clamped to the assembled side plates by nut-equipped tie rods 17 passed through the upper and lower heads and through the coupling tubes 8, as best shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. The post, as Just described, will be a self-contained structure, but is greatly improved by an internal reinforcement, and this we provide by the use of a skeleton core that affords a combined reinforcement and support for the interior lamps and other internal parts of thepost. As shown and preferred, this inner skeleton core is made up of four angle iron corner posts 18 and t-ie plates 19 riveted, spot-welded or otherwisey rigidly secured to the said post 18, so that the skeleton core is a self-contained rigid structure capable of being inserted as an entirety into the post proper, and of being removed as an entirety therefrom, when, of course, either the upper head er the lower head 11 has'been removed. rlhis skeleton core has a rectangular horizontal cross section and when placed within the post, the angle iron posts 18 closely fit the four cornersof the post and securely hold the side plates 6 properly spaced and cause the post to be greatly The post described is mounted to stand normally in a vertical position and, as shown. this is accomplished by providing a seat for the centering cone or boss 13 in a seat plate 20 anchored `to the road bed y. This plate 20,

immediately surrounding the'seat for the centering cone 13, is formed with an upstauding annular fulcrum rib 21a on which the ledge 12 of the lower head 11 is normally seated. The road bed y, as shown, is a concrete structure and, under all but the marginal portion of the plate 20, is formed with a pit 22 preferably of cylindrical form. This pit 22, as shown, is lined by a cylinder 23 that is preferably a piece of tile pipe around which the cement forming the pit 22 is poured. The numeral 24 indicates a metallic anchoring bar that is imbedded in the bottom of the pit. Longnut-equipped bolts 25k are passed through the anchoring bar 24 and through the opposite sides of the seat plate 20. The numeral 26 indicates a fiat metal strip, the ends of which are interposed between the plate 20 and the top of the pit wall and through the ends of which the anchoring bolts 25 are also passed. rIhe central portion of this strap 26 is depressed so that it will clear the centering cone or boss 13 in all positions of the latter.

For yieldingly holding the post normally in an upright position,--a weight 27 is provided and thisis attached to the lower end of a cable 28 that is passed upward through a central guide passage in the strap 26 through a central opening 29 in the bottom of the centering cone 13, and provided with a knot head or enlargement 30 that stops against the bottom of said cone. Here it should be noted that the lower head 11 is tant to note that when the post is oscillated or turned down as just stated, it is not the outer edge of the ledge 12 that aords the ulcrum, but the annular rib 21, whichmaintains engagement in part with thebase of the centering cone 13 and in part with the inner portion of theV ledge 12. Thus, itwill` be noted, by reference to the dotted line posi- Vtion of Fig. 1, that when the said post is turned downward, the ledge 12 is entirely outward of the fulcrum rib 21 and will positively hold the post against axial movements toward the left, for instance, in respect to Fig. 1. This engagement also insures accu'- `rate return ot the post to its vertical position, the said'vei'tical position being determined by complete .engagement of the ledge 12 with the annular ulcrum lug 21, which latter normally acts simply as a seat for said ledge. The centering cone 13, of course, insures accurate axial alignment of the post with he plate 20 and with the pit. The pit,

or, in the structures illustrated, the lining 23,v

tory movement when it is moved upward andY downward. Ne have found that a weight is much better than a spring as a means for yieldingly holding the post in anupright position and `for restoring it 'to an upright position Whenit has been knocked down and released. The weight acts with more certainty than a spring, but is a little slower in itsY returning action and better adapts itself to the different shocks and strains and, moreover, is a more reliable, durable and permanent device.

Vhat we claim is:

1. A post or" the kind described comprising a plurality of wall-forming plates having flanged edges, slotted joint strips telescoped over the flanged edges of said plates, and heads applied to said plates and rigidly holding the same, the said joint strips being covered with an elastic material serving as a cushion.`

2. A post of the' kind described comprising a plurality of wall-orming'plates having flanged edges, slottedjoint strips telescoped over the langededges Voi said plates, heads applied to said plates and rigidly holding the same, nut-equipped rods passed within said joint strips and through said heads and clamping the latter to the wall-forming plates.

3. A post of the kind vdescribed comprising a plurality of wall-forming plates having flanged edges, slotted joint strips telescoped over the flanged edges of said plates, heads appliedto said plates and rigidlyY holding the same, nut-equipped rods passed within said joint strips and through said heads and clamping the latter to the wall-forming pla-tes, said joint--l strip-s between said heads beingV covered with elastic material forming cushions. a j

In testimony whereof` we affix our signatures.

JOHN RANK. 1 HENRY w. RANK. 

